Green Chemistry Based Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Plant Derivatives of Calotropis gigantea (Giant Milkweed) and Its Biological Applications against Various Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens
Farooq A, Khan UA, Ali H and others. Microorganisms, November 2022.
Read the paper Free to read · doi:10.3390/microorganisms10112195
What this paper is about
Zinc oxide nanoparticles made using extracts of Calotropis gigantea, a milkweed relative, instead of harsh synthetic reagents, then tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens.
Green chemistry rather than ecology; the plant is a reagent here.
Summarised here from the abstract below. Not the authors’ words.
Abstract
Nanotechnology is a burning field of scientific interest for researchers in current era. Diverse plant materials are considered as potential tool in green chemistry based technologies for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) to cope with the hazardous effects of synthetic chemicals, leading to severe abiotic climate change issues in today's agriculture. This study aimed to determine the synthesis and characterization of metal-based nanoparticles using extracts of the selected plant Calotropis gigantea and to evaluate the enzyme-inhibition activities and antibacterial and antifungal activity of extracts of metal-based zinc nanoparticles using C. gigantea extracts. The crystal structure and surface morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). C. gigantea was examined for antimicrobial activity against clinical isolates of bacteria and fungi. The water, ethanolic, and acetone extracts of C. gigantea were studied for their antagonistic action against bacterial strains (E. coli, S. aureus, P. multocida, and B. subtilis) and selected fungal strains (A. paracistic, F. solani, A. niger, S. ferrugenium, and R. nigricans). In vitro antimicrobial activity was determined by the disc diffusion method, where C. gigantea wastested for AChE and BChE inhibitory activity using Ellman's methodology. The kinetic analysis was performed by the proverbial Berthelot reaction for urease inhibition. The results showed that out of all the extracts tested, ethanolic and water extracts possessed zinc nanoparticles. These extracts showed the maximum zone of inhibition against F. solani and P. multocida and the lowest against S. ferrugenium and B. subtilis. A potential source of AChE inhibitors is certainly provided by the abundance of plants in nature. Numerous phyto-constituents, such as AChE and BChE inhibitors, have been reported in this communication. Water extract was active and has the potential for in vitro AChE and BChE inhibitory activity. The urease inhibition with flower extracts of C. gigantea revealed zinc nanoparticles in water extracts that competitively inhibited urease enzymes. In the case of cholinesterase enzymes, it was inferred that the water extract and zinc nanoparticles have more potential for inhibition of BChE than AChE and urease inhibition. Furthermore, zinc nanoparticles with water extract are active inthe inhibition of the bacterial strains E. coli, S. aureus, and P. multocida and the fungal strains A. paracistic, F. solani, and A. niger.
Abstract reproduced from the published paper, which is licensed CC BY. Copyright remains with the authors.
Key terms
Milkweeds in this paper
- Giant Milkweed Calotropis procera
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"Green Chemistry Based Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Plant Derivatives of Calotropis gigantea (Giant Milkweed) and Its Biological Applications against Various Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens (listing)." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/research/green-chemistry-based-synthesis-of-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-using-2022/. Accessed DATE.
Milkweed USA. "Green Chemistry Based Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Plant Derivatives of Calotropis gigantea (Giant Milkweed) and Its Biological Applications against Various Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens (listing)." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/research/green-chemistry-based-synthesis-of-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-using-2022/.
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title = {Green Chemistry Based Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Plant Derivatives of Calotropis gigantea (Giant Milkweed) and Its Biological Applications against Various Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens (listing)},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/research/green-chemistry-based-synthesis-of-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-using-2022/},
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